A number of stringed instruments developed through history have played by "picking" or strumming" the instrument strings to produce the desired musical sounds. For example, musical instruments in general use today such as guitars, mandolins or the like employ a number of tightly tensioned strings which are formed of various materials and which are pulled to precise tensions to achieve the desired range of musical note vibratory frequencies.
While some musicians in playing such stringed instruments utilize their fingers or thumbs to pick or strum the instrument strings, by far the most common style of playing such instruments involves the use of a device generally known as a "pick" to play the instrument. In essence, the pick is used by the musician to either pluck or strum across one or more strings to induce vibration of the string which results in musical sound. Through the years, variously shaped pick devices have appeared and some variation persists. However, by far the most common type of pick is that generally referred to a guitar pick which defines a substantially thin planar member having a generally triangular shape with rounded corners. Such picks are made of different materials which range from inexpensive plastic to highly exotic and valuable precious metal in accordance with the user's preference.
Because the task of holding the pick while energetically playing a stringed instrument is often difficult, various aids for string instrument musicians have been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,814 issued to Rowley sets forth a NONSLIP GUITAR PICK having a palm piece attached to a pick by means of a flexible connection whereby the palm piece and flexible connection cooperate to prevent the guitar pick from rotating in the user's grasp or slipping entirely from the user's hand.
A similar device manufactured and sold by Stonefeather Industries under the trademark "Ringpick" provides a finger ring and guitar pick coupled by a flexible chain. In use, the musician wears the finger ring upon the desired finger and holds the guitar pick between the thumb and forefinger with the flexible chain stretched therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 557,293 issued to Wahl sets forth a HOLDER FOR MANDOLIN PICKS having a finger ring supporting an extending beam element which in turn supports a flexibly mounted mandolin pick. In use, the musician secures the ring to a convenient portion of the musician's finger and grasps the flexibly mounted mandolin with the fingers and thumb of the musician's hand.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have provided some assistance in aiding musicians playing stringed instruments, they are subject to several limitations and problems. For example, it is commonplace for most picks to break after some use and musicians generally prefer to carry a backup pick in order to continue playing. Because the above-described prior art devices are somewhat costly and cumbersome, they discourage the practice of carrying extra picks thereby limiting the musician's security. In addition, the prior art devices fail to recognize that the frequently breaking pick portion of their various combinations is usually the least expensive portion of the apparatus. As a result, a somewhat costly device provided by such prior art structures must be replaced in its entirety as a result of the small inexpensive component of the pick having broken. This greatly increases the cost to the user.
There arises, therefore, a continuing and unfulfilled need in the art for an improved musical instrument pick which provides the convenience and use of chain-supported or tethered picks while overcoming the cost and practical disadvantages associated with the prior art devices.